5 Fall Getaway Ideas

Last fall while I was living in DC, I was eager to take a weekend getaway. We decided to make a fall-themed excursion, taking in some apple picking and vineyard visiting around the northern Virginia and Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia areas. Here are a few highlights from our trip:

1. Crooked Run Orchard – Purcellville, Virginia

We started our weekend adventure apple picking at Crooked Run Orchard, a small, family owned farm located about an hour outside of DC. We spent the morning picking apples and wandering through the beautiful orchards. The staff at Crooked Run was incredibly kind and thoughtful. There was also a produce stand at the entrance of the farm we bought squash and pumpkins to continue to the fall fever at home.

2. Leesburg, Virginia

After a busy morning picking apples, we stopped in Leesburg for lunch and wandered some of the antique stores that lined the streets. We ended up eating at Melt, a delicious burger shop that served more fries than you can handle and cozy atmosphere. After lunch, we wandered downtown to find some hot chocolate and window shop through a string of adorable boutiques.

3. Virginia Vineyards & Wineries

Our weekend was also filled with frequent vineyard and winery stops. There are enough vineyard and wineries in Virginia to make many weekend excursions solely to visit them on their own, but the two we spent the most time at were Tarara Winery and Breaux Vineyards. Of the two, Breaux Vineyards was our favorite. We checked out the vineyard, spent a good amount of time in the tasting room, and even brought a bottle home to keep the vacation going when we got back to DC.

4. Charles Town, West Virginia

After a day of apple picking and wine tasting, we spent the night in Charles Town, West Virginia before heading to Harper’s Ferry the next morning. We didn’t spend much time in Charles Town but grabbed dinner and visited the downtown area before calling it a night. The biggest attraction in Charles Town is the Hollywood Casino. We didn’t visit it but for you gamblers out there, there were shuttles running every hour from our hotel to the casino and back so you’re in luck.

5. Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia

Sunday morning we got an early start and drove from Charles Town to Harper’s Ferry. Word to the wise – Google Maps and other GPS devices had a bit of trouble getting us to the right spot, so bear this in the mind when trying to drive into Harper’s Ferry it may not take you exactly where you’re trying to go. We grabbed lunch at a restaurant called Canal House Cafe at the top of the Harper’s Ferry. The cafe itself is based in a 1820s stone house and offers a delicious, fresh, farm-to-table menu.

After eating, we hiked to the top of the iconic scenic overlook to look back over the town of Harper’s Ferry. Embarrassingly, we had our hiking clothes in the car, as we were under the impression the trail to the overlook was much shorter and less steep than it actually turned out to be. Not that it wasn’t manageable, but I was kicking myself moment a little bit that I was hiking in jeans, riding boots, and a Coach purse as other “legit” hikers passed by and gave me a few stares. The view from the top is worth it so I’d highly recommend. Just remember to change into your hiking attire first 🙂